Promises
by szhismine
Summary: Alternate ending to 'Bunker Hill'. Harper and Dylan have a conversation. Response to a challenge at Exisle. Nonslash.


Promises  
  
Challenge: Write what should have happened when Harper came back and saw Dylan after Bunker Hill. He never seemed pissed or betrayed like he should have by Dylan. Also, filling the missing scene where Rommie supposely talked him out of staying on Earth.  
  
~~~~~~~  
  
Title: Promises  
  
Author: Szhismine  
  
Rating: PG to PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: If only I owned Andromeda... but I don't. *sniff*  
  
Summary: What the challenge says.  
  
Spoilers: Bunker Hill  
  
Pairing: Harper/Dylan friendship (no slash)  
  
Author's Note: This fic is dedicated to Nureek and all my fellow Harperchondriacs. Keep up the angst!  
  
*************  
  
Dylan sighed.  
  
The war with the Drago-Kasov didn't go exactly as planned. Sure, he had managed to get away, but so did they. They could continue their plans to destroy the Sabra-Jaguar pride.  
  
'That's only half of the problem,' Dylan thought. 'The other half is I let Harper down. I let Earth down.'  
  
"Dylan, the Maru is docking in hangar bay 3," Andromeda's voice announced over the comms.  
  
"Acknowledged," Dylan replied. He wearily made his way to hangar bay 3.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rommie was silent as she and Harper made their way off the Maru. She sneaked a side glance at her engineer. Harpre kept his head down. The usual glimmer of hope in his eyes was gone. Instead they were filled with gloomy depressing shadows.  
  
'I hope he didn't take my threat too seriously,' Rommie thought.  
  
*Flashback*  
  
"Harper, you are not staying," Rommie said firmly.  
  
She couldn't believe her ears. Her engineer was seriously considering staying on Earth to help his cousin. She wouldn't have it.  
  
"Rommie, I can't stay and let my cousin fight a loosing battle," Harper replied, irritated.  
  
"Exactly. A loosing battle. Why die now when you can help later? We need you Harper," Rommie yelled.  
  
"I don't care."  
  
Rommie lost her patience. "Harper, you get on the Maru, and if I hear any more talk about you staying i'll knock you out myself. Understand?"  
  
*End flashback*  
  
So their trip had been silent. Rommie kept to piloting while Harper stayed in the back doing meaningless repairs. They actually did more harm than good.  
  
Rommie sensed Dylan walking their way and shot another look at Harper. He looked hurt enough and she knew he wouldn't want to talk to anyone.  
  
Least of all Dylan.  
  
Dylan made his way to them. He could feel the tension, and when Harper's dull eyes locked onto his own, he knew he was in trouble.  
  
"Dylan," Rommie greeted, attempting casual conversation and failing miserably.  
  
"Rommie," he replied in the same tone of voice.  
  
Harper shifted between the two, not sure of what to say. He had alot on his mind and he was determined to let Dylan know exactly how he felt. "Rommie, can Dylan and I have a moment?" he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.  
  
"Of course," Rommie replied. She left the hangar and engaged privacy mode.  
  
Dylan watched Harper, who was obviously trying to find the right words. "So..." he started. "How did it go with the Dragans?"  
  
"Well enough," Dylan replied. "The Dragans scattered our fleet across the cluster but we managed to round up and get free with little casualties."  
  
"I see," Harper said. "So you guys manage to shake the Dragans with a few destroyed ships while I fight a battle with the Dragans, lose, and many more people die because of it." Harper gave a thumbs-up. "Yeah, you sure taught them. Looks like Earth really does matter, doesn't it?"  
  
Dylan cringed. Harper's words stung deep. "I deserved that," he whispered.  
  
"You deserve to be stranded on Earth, let's see how you like it." Harper's voice raised in anger, his finger laying accusingly on Dylan's chest.  
  
"Harper, i'm truly sorry," Dylan said.  
  
"That's all? I'm sorry, that's all you have to say?"  
  
Dylan shrugged, which made Harper even angrier. "Do you have any idea what it was like? We needed you! We mentioned you having to arrive soon or else we would lose every other minute! It was hell going back there! I'm sure you know what it's like facing your inner demons, so how do you think it was for me? I have so many painful memories there, and I had to face them for what, huh? What did I gain?"  
  
"Hope," Dylan replied. "You gained hope for you and your planet. For your cousin."  
  
"Yeah, and a hell lot of good it did for us. What did hope do, Dylan? Please tell me, 'cause i'm dying to know."  
  
"Hope is the reason your people are still alive, fighting, not giving in to the nietzscheans. The only thing anyone can count on in desperate situations is hope."  
  
"We were counting on you!" Harper yelled, once again pointing his finger at Dylan. "You were our only hope, and it didn't help much, did it?"  
  
"It helped more than you think," Dylan said, his own temper starting to rise.  
  
"Oh really? How?"  
  
"People on Earth are rising up against the Dragans. They're making a stand. Hope gave them courage to do that! Everyone has hopes for something. You should know that. Hope managed to get you off Earth, didn't it? You got free and escaped. I'm sure that's what your parents hoped for. They must have had high hopes for you, but I guess they were wrong!"  
  
Dylan immediately regretted his words when he saw his engineer's reaction. His eyes grew wide and he was at a loss for words.  
  
"Wow... that's, that's..." he started babbling, using random hand gestures to try and say what he couldn't make out with words. "You... I... son of a... well, I... god damnit... you, you... I can't believe... I, you... you leave my parents outta this!" he finally managed to blurt out. "What the hell do you know?"  
  
"Harper," Dylan said calmly. "I know you're upset. I know I broke a promise to you. I know what you're feeling. I wish I could have helped you, I truly do. I deserve every vile insult and punishment you throw at me. But it's not gonna change anything."  
  
"I know it won't change anything, Dylan," Harper said. "But you didn't change anything, either. You broke a promise to me, how am I supposed to trust anything you say?"  
  
"Let me make it up to you," Dylan proposed. "I promise not to break any more promises to you or anyone."  
  
Harper looked at him, a bit surprised. "You know, if you ever break a promise you're actually breaking two."  
  
Dylan smiled. "I know."  
  
Harper smiled back. "Thanks."  
  
Dylan nodded. "I suppose you might wanna go to your quarters now?"  
  
Harper nodded. Dylan moved out of the way and let him pass. Dylan felt guilty at breaking his promise and hurting his friend, but he would never do that again.  
  
That was a promise.  
  
THE END 


End file.
